Saved at Sea | Page 8

me if she had lived. I
thought she would.
I knew very little in those days of the Bible. My grandfather did not
care for it, and never read it. He had a large Bible, but it was always
laid on the top of the chest of drawers, as a kind of ornament; and
unless I took it down to look at the curious old pictures inside, it was
never opened.
Sunday on the island was just the same as any other day. My
grandfather worked in the garden, or read the newspaper, just the same
as usual, and I rambled about the rocks, or did my lessons, or worked in
the house, as I did every other day in the week. We had no church or
chapel to go to, and nothing happened to mark the day.
I often think now of that dreadful morning when we went across the
stormy sea to that sinking ship. If our boat had capsized then, if we had
been lost, what would have become of our souls? It is a very solemn
thought, and I cannot be too thankful to God for sparing us both a little
longer. My grandfather was a kind-hearted, good-tempered, honest old
man; but I know now that that is not enough to open the door of heaven.
Jesus is the only way there, and my grandfather knew little of, and
cared nothing for, Him.
Little Timpey became my constant companion, indoors and out of
doors. She was rather shy of the little Millars, for they were noisy and
rough in their play, but she clung to me, and never wanted to leave me.

Day by day she learnt new words, and came out with such odd little
remarks of her own, that she made us all laugh. Her great pleasure was
to get hold of a book, and pick out the different letters of the alphabet,
which, although she could hardly talk, she knew quite perfectly.
Dear little pet! I can see her now, sitting at my feet on a large flat rock
by the seashore, and calling me every minute to look at A, or B, or D,
or S. And so by her pretty ways she crept into all our hearts, and we
quite dreaded the answer coming to the letter my grandfather had
written to the owners of the Victory, which, we found, was the name of
the lost ship.
It was a very wet day, the Monday that the answer came. I had been
waiting some time on the pier, and was wet through before the steamer
arrived. Captain Sayers handed me the letter before anything else, and I
ran up with it to my grandfather at once. I could not wait until our
provisions and supplies were brought on shore.
Little Timpey was sitting on a stool at my grandfather's feet, winding a
long piece of tape round and round her little finger. She ran to meet me
as I came in, and held up her face to be kissed.
What if this letter should say she was to leave us, and go back by the
steamer! I drew a long breath as my grandfather opened it.
It was a very civil letter from the owners of the ship, thanking us for all
we had done to save the unhappy crew and passengers, but saying they
knew nothing of the child or her belongings, as no one of the name of
Villiers had taken a cabin, and there was no sailor on board of that
name. But they said they would make further inquiries in Calcutta,
from which port the vessel had sailed. Meanwhile they begged my
grandfather to take charge of the child, and assured him he should be
handsomely rewarded for his trouble.
'That's right!' I said, when he had finished reading it. 'Then she hasn't to
go yet!'
'No,' said my grandfather; 'poor wee lassie! we can't spare her yet. I

don't want any of their rewards, Alick, not I! That's reward enough for
me,' he said, as he lifted up the child to kiss his wrinkled forehead.
CHAPTER VI.
THE OLD GENTLEMAN'S QUESTION.
The next Monday morning Timpey and I went down together to the
pier, to await the arrival of the steamer. She had brought a doll with her,
which Mrs. Millar had given her, and of which she was very proud.
Captain Sayers sent for me, as soon as the steamer came up to the pier,
to tell me that two gentlemen had come to see my grandfather. I held
the child's hand very tightly in mine, for I had felt sure they had come
for her.
The gentlemen came up the steps a minute or two afterwards. One of
them was a middle-aged man, with a very